Hand fence-machine



. No Model.) '7 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. W. H. MARTIN.

HAND FENCE MACHINE.

No: 512,732. I Patented Jan. 16,1894.

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HAND FENCE MAGHINE.

No. 512,732. Patented Jan. 16, 1894.

- mezztoz' %M UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

,WILLIAM H. MARTIN, OF MOBILE, ALABAMA.

HAND FENCE-MACHINE. Y

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 512,732, dated January 16, 1 e94.

Application filed April 20, 1893. Serial No. 471,116- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. MARTIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mobile, in the county of Mobile and State of Alabama, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fencing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The object of myinventionis to so improve and simplify the construction of hand fencing machines for wiring picket fences, as to greatly increase the ease and efficiency of operation in such machines, and to enable a fence of this character to be erected with more than usual speed.

My invention consists in features of construction, innovel combinations and relative arrangement of parts in the wire twisting machine and tension device, as hereinafter described and claimed.

' than the slots.

In the annexed drawings, illustrating my in vention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved wire twisting machine, partly broken away. Fig. 2 is a partly broken away, edge View, of same. Fig.3 is an enlarged view, of one of the wire twisting spools. Fig. 4 is a plan of the tension device. Fig. 5 is a side view of same. Fig. 6 represents the manner of employing the wire twisting machine and tension device in erecting picket and wire fences. Fig. 7 is a view of a notched fencepicket. Fig. 8 is a view of two fence-wires, of unequal diameters. v

The numeral 1 designates an oblong frame (Figs. 1 and 2) having a series of longitudinally arranged slots 2, in its opposite sides. These slots 2 communicate with a series of elongated recesses 3, formed'in the center of the frame, and which are somewhat wider Each recess 3 receives a wire twisting spool 4, Fig. 3, having its ends provided with spindles 5, that turn freely in'the slots of the frame. The central portion of each spool is'of larger diameter than its ends or spindles, and is provided with gear teeth 6, that mesh with a rack 7, fixed in one side of the frame. At each end of the toothed portion of the spool are annular shoulders 8, that serve to retain the spool in the frame. Each spool 4 is provided with two longitudinal perforations 9, for the passage of the fence-wires 10 that are to betwist'ed-into engagement with the fence pickets- Although I have shownthe frame 1, as provided with three wire twisting spools 4, it is obvious that the number of spools to be employed will depend upon the number of points at which the fence pickets are to be wired. Itwill be apparent that when the frame 1,'is' hung on the fence wires, which are to pass through the perforations 9, ,of'the re-' spective spools, a vertical movement of the said frame, either upward or downward, will cause the spools to rotate, by reason of their .engagement with the racks 7, and'thereby twist the wires. The frame 1, of the wire twisting-machine may be provided with a handle 11, through which the required vertical movement may be effected. The frame 1 may be made in two parts, and provided with bolts at suitable intervals to hold it together,

or may be made in one casting of malleable iron, the spool i Fig. 3, being cast separate. If the frame 1, should be made in one casting, the slots 2, are made as large as'the spools largest diameter, at either end of the slot to admit the spools from one side of the frame 1, as shown by the enlarged curve at the end of the slot 2. The pins 12, are to maintain the spools inthe slots after having been placed in working position. The frame, as shown in Fig. 2, is provided with enlarged surfaces at v the four points marked 12 which are used to hammer the pickets up tight in their places.

The slot 2 is made of proper length to give one or more twists to the wire, as may be required, by the upward or the downward movement, and 'eomple'testhe twist, leaving the wires in exact position for receiving another picket. r I

The device for securing and maintaininga properly regulated tension of the fence wires while'erecting the fence consists of a bari13, Figs. 4 and 5, having a rotary spindle 14, journaledin one end. This spindle 14, may ;be rotated by means of a lever 15,.at one end, and carries a ratchet wheel 16 engaged with :a ratehet'or stop-pawl 17 to prevent back- ,w'ard movement. A stay-wire 18 is to be attached to the spindle 14, in any suitable manfner, as bypassing it through holes therein,

and is then passed around a'stay-post 19, at

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fa distance from the point where the construev tion of the fence is proceeding. The top of tervals, with a series of oppositely placed seml-circular guide blocks 20, arranged in pans, and between which the fence-wires 10 are passed, the said semi-circular guides be lng alternated with centrally located guide blocks 21 having curved peripheries along whlch the said wires are extended in such a manner as to receive the required tension when the stay-wire 18, is properly tightened by rotating the spindle 14, at the end of the tenslon bar. A wedge shaped, wire spreadlng guide 22, is located atthe end of the tenslon bar, nearest to the wire twisting machine and has its apex toward the adjacent pair of seml-clrcnlar guides. The peripheries of the several pairs of semi-circular guides 20, are undercut, as shown in Fig. 5, and are approached sufliciently to contract or draw the fence wires 10 together at these points, while the alternating guides 21 and 22 are so arranged as to expand the wires at intermedlate points, thereby imparting the required tension.

In commencing the. erection of a fence by meansof the appliances above described, a starting post 23, Fig. 6, is set up at the required point, and securely braced, as shown.

To this post 23 the fence wires10 are securely attached in pairs and at properly regulated heights according to-the length of the pickets to be employed. Each pair of fence wires 10 is passed through the perforations 9 of one of thewire twisting spools at in the frame of the wire twisting machine. A preliminary twist is imparted to the fence wires at 24, Fig. 6, by moving the frame 1, of the wire twisting machine upward so as to cause the racks 7 to rotate the wire twisting spools. The fence picket 25 is then inserted vertically between the wires of each pair, and hammered by the hammer extensions 12, F1gs.2 and 6, in contact with their-twisted p01: tlon, and then by moving the wire twisting machine vertically downward to rotate, the wire twisting spools 4, in reverse direction, other twists. one or more in number, according to the length of the slot 2, will be formed in the wires, and thereby secure the picket firmly in place. Another picket is inserte and the operation of the wire twisting machine is repeated as before, an upward movement, or a downward movement of the machine, as the case may be, preceding and succeeding the insertion of each picket. Meanwhile, the several tension bars 13, one for each pair of fence wires have been placed in position on the wires 10 beyond the vertically operating wire twisting machine, as shown in Fig. 6, and have been connected by their respective stay-wires 18, to the stay-post 19, at a distant point. By rotating the several spindies 14 so as to windthe stay wires 18 thereon, the required tension of the fence wires 10 can be secured andmaintained through their engagement with the guides 20, 21 and 22, as already explained.

To aid in properly setting all the fence 7 pickets at a uniform height, or witheven tops, each picket25, Fig.'7 may be provided with one or more notches 26, to mark the point or points where it is to be engaged with the fence wires. Each picket may have only, one of these notches to indicate where it should be engaged with the top pair of wires,

or there may be notches for each pair of wires,

as preferred.

All the fence wires, 10 may be of the same thickness, if preferred, or I may employ, 1n each pair, one wire of larger diameter, and one smaller wire, as shown in Fig. 8, so that the small wires will make all the twist and fasten the pickets to the large wires which will thus be left substantially straight and in good shape to be used again, if. necessary.

The machine iseasily and quickly handled, it is adapted for very rapid operation and is capable of twisting the wires securely asfast as the pickets can be placed between them in their proper places.

What I claim as my invention is-- 1. In a hand fence machine, thecombinar tionof a vertical frame having a series hofivertically elongated recesses provided with opposite vertical slots, vertical racks, in oneside of the said recesses, and longitudinally'perforated wire twisting spools located in the said slotted recesses and. provided with gear teeth meshing with said racks, substantially as described.

2. In a hand fence machine, the combination of a vertical frame provided with a hautile and having vertically elongated recesses provided with opposite vertical slots, longitudinally perforated wire twisting spools: lo-

cated in said recesses and provided with gear teeth, and with spindles that projectinto the slots ofthe frame, and racks that mesh with the gear teeth of said spools, substantially as described.

3. A tension device for hand fence, ma: chines, consisting of a bar having a ser esof oppositely placed semicircular guide-blocks:

arranged in pairs, and alternatingwith a series of centrally located guide blocks, said guide blocksbeing adapted to exert tension on the fence wires, and said bar provided. at

one end with a spindle for attachment of a stay-wire, substantially as described.

4. In a tension device for handfencemachines, the combinationwith a bar 13. having arotary spindle mounted at one end, of a: se-,

WILLIAM II. MARTIN.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. TINDALL, ERASTUS S. PEER YMAN, Jr. 

